The obligatory ways to give
Ramadan is a rewarding time to fulfil our obligations, since they are rewarded seventy times more generously by The Most Merciful. It’s a powerful time to give you Zakat, and by giving each Ramadan, you’ll always remember that it’s time to fulfil this pillar of Islam.
It’s also necessary to give any fidya that you owe – making up for fasts that you’ve missed when you’ve had a valid reason (such as chronic sickness) by paying for meals for others. It’s preferable to make up these fasts if you’re able to, but if you’re not able to, or you think you will be unable to fulfil them in your lifetime, then Ramadan is a rewarding time to give your fidya. It also benefits fasting families, allowing them to have nutritious meals after a long day’s fast.
Voluntary charity
There’s few better times to give your sadaqah than in Ramadan, when it’s rewarded many times over. If there’s an emergency or project you’ve been wanting to support, then don’t put it off any longer. Want to support mothers in Sudan? Schools in Yemen? Water in Pakistan? Make sure you donate in Ramadan, and work to keep supporting these projects, even if minimally after Ramadan is over.
Waqf
One of the most rewarding ways to give sadaqah is through a waqf endowment. That’s because not only are you rewarded for your initial donation, but it continues to benefit communities year after year. Our waqf model allows you to give any amount since we pool it with other donors, invest your charity, and use only profits generated, all in a strict Sharia-compliant manner.
What projects can your waqf support?
This Ramadan, one donation to The Waqf Fund can continue to support these projects year after year – even beyond your lifetime:
- Food and nutrition – such as hot meals and food parcels
- Clean water wells and pumps
- Livelihood training and tools – such as honey bee farming
- Schooling
- Healthcare
- Orphan support
You can even donate to provide food to fasting people, and after the first year you’ll provide an entire family with food for the month of Ramadan. Each year, you’ll provide additional families in an investment that grows, providing multiplied Ramadan blessings for the rest of your life and beyond, inshallah.
Spending on family and loved ones
Whether it’s playing with your children, buying your spouse a prayer mat, or cooking for your parents, all acts of service and compassion are considered a sadaqah.
You can even gift a loved one a waqf, combining two acts of charity in one!
Giving time and energy
Volunteer at your local soup kitchen, cook iftar for vulnerable members of your community, distribute date and milk packs in your community, or help clean up your local mosque after maghrib. Give this Ramadan and seek Allah’s mercy and multiplied blessings.
Spending consciously for your akhirah
So many people today have one-, five-, and ten-year plans for their careers. But too often, we don’t have similar plans for our faith and akhirah. Take a minute to picture what mistakes you want forgiven, what goals would please The Most Merciful, and set corresponding goals for the next three years at least. Want to have fasted 30 additional days over the next year? Plan them now. Want to volunteer once a month? Get in touch with your local community centre or charities? Want to accumulate charity over the next 10 years? Donate as little as £10 now, and watch it grow with The Waqf Fund.
Planning Ramadan giving
Plan ahead to make sure you can make the most of every single moment of Ramadan. Use a calendar to map how you’ll arrange your giving across each day and week, making sure to pay attention to Fridays, the last 10 days, and the odd final nights.
It’s a good idea to plan as much as you can ahead of Ramadan, such as having meals scheduled, a list of go-to iftars, workout hours, commutes, and any other predictable responsibilities. Keep a list of duas, and don’t forget to include others in these – yet another way to give this Ramadan!
And remember, if you’re reading this during Ramadan and think that it’s too late to start your giving – it’s never too late so long as Ramadan is ongoing. Every single second is a chance for blessings.
